Cranes, Continued

Today I am working on assembling my paper pieced Crane quilt. I have had the cranes (all 98 of them!) done for a while, but have been working out placement on graph paper and border colors on the design wall. I made a felt design wall big enough to accomodate the quilt, but since I still have the paper foundations on, they won't stick! So, am using the good old cork board wall that needs pins. I decided to use a white sashing so the cranes will float, then have a complementary (but different) block at the sashing intersections. I used Batiks that I got from Sew Batik for the blues, and Sew Batik was at the show in Nashville, so I stopped by thier booth and asked for advice on what would make the dark and light blues pop. They came up with the yellow, which is printed with a vine pattern of light and dark blues. I thought it would work, but it looks kind of muddy to me when I put it up, although I do like the contrast. I also had a 1/8 yard piece of a gorgeous hand dye in blues and purples that I like better. But of course I only have 1/8 of a yard of it, so I don't have enough for all of the little sashing blocks, and no idea where it might have come from. I have a tendency to select colors that all play so well with each other, that they don't stand out. But there is a lot of contrast between the white and blues already, so I guess I could go with a blender for those little cornerstones. Hmmmmm.

I have heard that if you take photos of a layout, it will help you decide what looks best...still not sure! The theme for the quilt was Peace on earth, so I tried some greens in the sashing corners but didn't like it. Was thinking of doing an applique small round world in blue and green on top of the light blues in the sashing corners...too distracting.

Quilting may not do much for the butt, but it IS good mental exercise!!!

What goes around, comes around

Last year, dh was very sad. His oldest daughter, a very smart and unfortunately very troubled young lady who had struggled with dually diagnosed mental health/substance issues for most of her life, died at age 32. It sent shock waves through his family, and resulted in estrangement from his younger daughter (the mother of his grandchildren, ages 2 and 4 whom he adores, and rightly so-they are wonderful little girls).

Anyway, at Christmas last year, I decided to get him a dog. I know, I know, the one thing they say you are never supposed to get anyone for Christmas, is a dog. Not fair to the dog, not fair to the person. Too much going on and all of that. Undeterred, I researched dog breeds. I went in search of a mid sized, mellow animal who wouldn't shed too much and who would love dh and be his buddy all day while he worked in his garden, would ride around town with him in his truck etc. Dh loves to take our cat, Carmine, around town in the truck, to the drive-through at the bank, etc, but that can get ticklish when the truck window is open. I found the perfect breed of dog for us, a soft coated Wheaten terrier. I found a breeder not too far away, made an appointment, and went to visit the kennel. They had 2 year-old males, who had only lived in the kennel and were not trained or housebroken at all yet. One was called Einstein by the breeder, because he had figured out how to open all of the kennel doors with his nose, and proved it by doing so the first day I was there. The kennel was a blur of blond fur as dogs raced around, going in and out of kennel runs. It was pretty funny to watch the breeder trying to corral everyone back into the designated run. The other dog was a lovable but VERY mellow guy called Spot, because he had a spot on his back. I decided on Einstein. I went back several times to visit, and bought every conceivable dog accoutrement in anticipation of the BIG DAY. On Christmas Eve, I told dh I had a surprise for him and needed him to come for a ride with me. We went to the kennel. He met Einstein (I preferred to call him Wheatie) and we all went home. Wheatie had diarrhea in the car before we left the street. Things kind of went from bad to worse once we got home. Wheatie had never stepped foot on anything other than grass or concrete at the kennel. At and around our house, we have several textures - carpets in different pile lengths, wood floors, brick pavers, mulch, zoyza grass. Wheatie didn't want any part of this, was really having a huge adjustment. So was dh. Wheatie liked ME better, since I had bonded with him on my visits, and didn't pay any attention at all to dh. A friend of dh's called, who happens to have some kind of water spaniel, a totally different dog!!! and freaked dh out with all kinds of tales of how high strung blah blah blah Wheatons were, and how you had to have a firm hand training them, right from the beginning. So dh decided to take a firm hand with him. (not literally, just stern voice, commands, etc.) And here is this sweet, mellow, bewildered creature. Anyway, the upshot was, dh, under extreme emotional duress anyway, could not handle the stress and unknown havoc that he had been told this dog would wreak on his life. Wheatie went back to the breeder the next morning. I of course, had my heart broken into little pieces. But I did not chose Wheatie over dh. Thought about it briefly, but did not. I understood dh's pain, and reluctantly decided it was a good idea in theory that had not worked out due to poor timing. My whole intention had been to provide comfort and peace, not to escalate his distress.

So life went on, as it does. Dh and I have a best friend, who was married but got divorced about 3 years ago. We used to do a lot together, the 4 of us, but since his divorce, it has just been the 3 of us. We have dinner together every Friday night. We all went to Italy together last summer. We have a great time, but I have often wished he would meet a wonderful woman whom he could love and I could be friends with. This summer, he met Janie. We LOVE Janie. Now the 4 of us go out for dinner every Friday night. Janie has a dog. He is a Wheaton Terrier. His name is Bill. I have a new man in my life!!!

I Can't Make This Stuff Up!!!!

As anyone who owns a business knows, you are only as good as your employees. And, no one, but no one, will ever take as good care of your business as you, yourself will. And, if you find someone who you think just might come close, you hold on to them with both hands, treat them like royalty, and pay them their weight in gold. I have, with my business partner, owned my business for just over 4 years now. Without going into too much detail, all of my employees but one work the night shift. I work the day shift. I place a very high degree of trust in my employees, who do their work during the quiet dark hours of the night with very little supervision. My business partner and I work very hard to exceed all expectations of our customers in every way possible, and we have the same expectations of our employees.

I am used to my phone ringing in the evening and occasionally during the night. Last night, I had trouble falling asleep because I knew I had to be at the hospital at o-dark thirty this morning to do a special procedure I only do a few times a year. I had just fallen asleep, when my home phone rang at 1:30 am. I mumbled "This can't be good" to DH and answered. One of my employees, a young person who has worked for me for over a year, and with whom I have been extremely impressed, was on the line. Was working alone that night. Told me there was a big problem and that "you are going to be really pissed". I asked what was going on. Answered that there was a sheriff that wanted to talk to me. I said OK, thinking, A SHERIFF???

A booming voice on the other end of the line identified his name, rank and department. He asked me what the job title of my employee was. I responded. Sheriff said, well, I am placing employee under arrest for possession of marijuana. I was dumbfounded. I asked HOW this might have come about???? Sheriff was doing a routine patrol, saw employee's car in our parking lot, came into lot to investigate. Car was unlocked. Opened car door and found a baggie of the evil green weed on the seat. Came to my business. Found door to my business unlocked, came in, and, this just gets better and better, employee was ASLEEP IN CHAIR. Oh yes.

Partner and I convene on scene and secure business. Are shaking in our boots, freaking out over all of the many and varied liability issues that this could have but blessedly did NOT, expose us to. Now ex-employee joins ranks of past employees who: went out for coffee at 3 am and never returned, and other events I would really rather forget. Yes, I screen my employees carefully before I hire them. Yes, they are all good people, and I really don't care WHAT employees get up to in their spare time. But when it places my business in jeopardy, that crosses a line for me.

Kevin's Quilt

I have just finished quilting a very special quilt that will be going to a young man who was wounded while serving our country in Iraq. His name is Kevin, and his mother has been publishing her family's story in a blog that caught the attention of one of my fellow HGTV quilting board members. My board friend, Holee, rallied quilters from across the US to contribute red, white and blue quilt blocks to make a quilt for Kevin. She got such a great response that she had enough blocks to make 4 quilts! One will go to Kevin, and I volunteered to quilt that one on my longarm. I used an all over design of stars and loops in a red and blue variegated thread. The other quilts will go to his mom, one for a charity fundraiser auction for his family, and one for his wheelchair. Hope this will cover him with the hopes, thoughts and prayers for his full recovery from all of the people who were involved in this project.

The Wind, She Did Blow

Last Friday evening, we were scheduled to go to a wedding at 5:30, then pick a friend and his son up at the airport later on that night. I work about 30 minutes north of where I live. As I left to drive home, and the sky was a deep purple/black/blue all around me. I thought of my friend, the bride, who had planned an outdoor wedding at a beautiful riverside location. As I drove home, I started to see branches and huge piles of pine needles in the road. Somehow, I didn't drive through the storm. It hit hard where I live, then passed over and went out to sea. When I drove down our driveway, my heart sank. A big gumbo limbo had come down in our yard, and a big pine had come down on our friend's car, which we were planning to drive to the airport! We never did make it to the wedding.

The next day, Brandon and Kristen came up to help us cut up the fallen trees and haul the pieces out to the road. It took the 4 of us about 3 hours of hard work.

The old timers have been saying that the weather pattern so far this summer, sunny mornings and rain every afternoon, means that the hurricaines won't be bad this fall. Sure hope they are right! I am scheduled to leave for Nashville out of West Palm Beach on Tuesday for the AQS show, and we are right in the path of a developing storm in the tropics.

Leo

This is Leo. He lives next door to my quilt house with his people, Dawn, and her daughter, Marissa. Dawn and Marissa are tall and thin and beautiful. Leo is tall and thin and beautiful. If you had to pick a cat that matched this family, Leo is it. Leo is very friendly, and loves to look in the French door windows at me when I am sewing on my longarm. One day, DH came home and said that Dawn couldn't find Leo. We went out and called and called. No Leo. Three days later, I asked DH if there was any sign of Leo. No, sadly, Leo had not been heard from. Many prayers and good thoughts went up for the safe return of Leo. As we were cooking dinner that night, I casually asked DH if there was any possibility that Leo might have gotten into my quilt house. DH said no, that he had been there that day and checked everything, and no Leo. The next morning, my phone rang early and it was Dawn, asking to borrow a sewing machine to make new pillows for Marissa's bedroom. I asked about Leo, no news. I told Dawn she could borrow my extra machine that I keep in the quilt house to do bindings on. I met her at the house and we were talking a mile a minute about her project as I opened the door to my quilt house, and MEOW!!!! MEOW!!!!! There was Leo. Looking taller and thinner than usual. Glad to see us! Dawn scooped him up, gave him big hugs and kisses, and took him home for some much needed food and water.

I started to look around the quilt house for evidence of Leo's visit. Poops on the rug. No problem, emptied it out the door. Peed on some longarm practice pieces on a low shelf. No problem, tossed them in the trash. Knocked over a bottle of shampoo in the bathroom, no problem, it was in the tub. Checked out my longarm, which had a quilt (of mine!) on it. A few hairs, he had been sleeping on the quilt, no problem. Moved the longarm to start sewing on my quilt, and....he had PEED ON THE BATTING OF THE QUILT THAT WAS ON THE MACHINE. AAAARRRRGGGHHH. My options are: take the quilt off the machine and wash it or, try to get the stain (and the smell) out while it was still on the machine. I chose number 2, since I have zippered leaders, but have never used them. I'm still new at this longarm thing! I put a big bowl with some water and detergent under the stain and let it soak. Then poured tonic water over the stain to rinse it, and let it air dry. Sucess! All is well, stain and smell free.

Leo is mostly and indoor cat, now.